EWN reports that the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has denied accusations of employee exploitation as wage negotiations with unions continue without resolution.  

Staff at the institution affiliated with the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) are on strike calling for a 12% hike, while Wits claims it can only offer 8%.  Numsa indicated that it was aware that learning at the institution was set to begin on Monday, but said this was a situation created by what the union called ‘stubborn management’.  The university’s Shirona Patel pointed out that the 8% offer was above the current inflation rate.  But, Numsa’s Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said that wasn’t enough and added:  “As Numsa, we’ll be intensifying the strike and from Sunday we’ll be staging a picket on campus to highlight our demands.”  Further negotiations with university management started on Saturday and were due to continue on Sunday.

• This report by Hitekani Magwedze is at EWN

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